Nicholasville dedicates new fire station
Published 11:45 am Thursday, October 29, 2020
Nicholasville officials cut the ribbon to dedicate Nicholasville Fire Department's Station 4 Saturday morning. The new station is near Brannon Crossing and served the surrounding area within the city limits. (Photo by Fred Petke)
Nicholasville Fire Battalion Chief Johnny Adams, right, tells State Rep. Russ Meyer about the exercise room in the department's new Station 4 near Brannon Crossing. The station was dedicated Saturday. (Photo by Fred Petke)
City officials toured the new Station 4 for Nicholasville Fire Department Saturday before cutting the ribbon. The station is the first new one for the city in decades, and dramatically cuts response time to the Brannon Crossing end of Jessamine County. (Photo by Fred Petke)
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Nicholasville officials dedicated the city’s first new fire station in nearly two decades Saturday, and slashed response times to emergencies in the process.
Nicholasville Fire Department’s Station 4, located near Brannon Crossing, officially opened Saturday but has been functioning for a little while and has already made a difference.
“Since this station’s been opened, we’ve saved lives down here,” Nicholasville City Commissioner Betty Black said.
NFD Battalion Chief Johnny Adams said firefighters can respond to emergencies in the northern part of Nicholasville much quicker than before, as they responded from Station 3 on Elizabeth Street.
“You had a six- to 10-minute response, depending on the time of day,” Adams said.
With Station 4 open, response time is two to four minutes, he said.
“We’ve had fire responses,” he said. “We’ve had medical responses. We had a subject who overdosed… a few weeks ago. We were first on scene.”
Adams said the station presently houses the department’s large hazardous material response truck and Quint 4, a combination ladder and fire engine, with room for other equipment.
The city broke ground on the 7,200 square foot $2.8 million station in June 2019.
Adams said the surrounding neighborhoods are almost their own community, though within the Nicholasville city limits.
“This is our own city up here with both the residential and business and industry up here,” Adams said. “I’m excited for this station and what we’ve accomplished during my 21 years with the department. We’re glad to be here.”
Nicholasville Mayor Pete Sutherland said the station also reinforces where the neighborhood is located.
“We want to make a statement,” he said. “This is Nicholasville, not Lexington. We want to be a good neighbor for all the people moving in here and building here.”
Nicholasville Fire Chief Mark Case said Station 4 is the department’s first new station since 2002 when Station 3 opened on Elizabeth Street.
Commissioner Doug Blackford said the project was originally planned more than a decade ago, and economic conditions forced it to be delayed.
“I’m grateful to be part of this day and I’m excited for our department,” Blackford said.
